The Patriots and special teams captain Matthew Slater have agreed to a two-year contract extension, a source told NESN.com, confirming an initial report by ESPN’s Field Yates. Slater was set to hit free agency Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET. The deal will pay Slater around $2.6 million per year.

Slater has played his entire career with the Patriots since being selected in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft out of UCLA. He’s made eight Pro Bowls and earned six All-Pro honors. He’s played in five Super Bowls and won three with the Patriots.

Fellow Patriots captains Devin McCourty and Tom Brady remain unsigned five days before the start of the new NFL year. The open tampering period begins Monday when other teams can contact free agents.